#there's a reason that genesis was the one

[getvalentined]

I was gushing about Genesis' design the other day and decided to transplant the whole rant over here because I love how Genesis' whole design makes no pretense about him doing things specifically to make himself look taller, but also more delicate—because he has an aesthetic that he's determined to maintain, but it's a ruse. The whole thing is a ruse. Genesis knows what he looks like, particularly what he looks like compared to the people around him, and he works with it in such a fantastic way it makes me feral.

It's so obvious from an artistic and fashion design perspective that he's trying to give himself a more masculine shape while also trying to look unintimidating in that shape, like he's petite when he's absolutely not—which makes perfect sense when paired with the fact that he's a mage and when he uses a sword it's in very close-quarters combat compared to his peers.

Genesis is trying to look like the least intimidating of the Firsts because it means opponents are more likely to underestimate him and let him get too close, only to realize that he's like 6'3" and can throw a freight truck.

Take the cut of his coat, the way he wears his belt a little low—like he's trying to look taller, but also like he wants you to think that his legs maybe aren't quite that long, like his waist is wider than it is, but his shoulders are narrower. Like his frame is more average, like he lacks the physical capacity to do too much damage compared to his similarly ranked colleagues.

His clothing makes him look less svelte; he doesn't want people to catch that he can be on you in four steps because he's long-legged and limber as fuck. His pauldrons are set low on his jacket, as if he wants them to look slightly too big. Genesis' shoulders and chest are actually pretty broad for his frame, his legs and arms are long and well toned, but he dresses and carries himself in a way that makes it difficult to tell unless you're really looking.

Most opponents won't parse Genesis' build correctly, they won't realize that he's got some beastly upper body strength until he's on them far too quickly and he's grabbed them by the face—and since when were his arms so long?—and flung them across the battlefield.

At a distance, or alongside Sephiroth or Angeal, Genesis doesn't just look delicate, he looks fragile. He looks like you can snap him in half. On his own, though, up close? You're fucked.

[lesbians4aerith]

i have made too many of these stupid fucking images

[valentimmy]

the loser (+some doodles)

[ryuki-draws]

More WfM EVA AU/crossover doodles, the whole gang is here! And by the whole gang I mean every single EVA unit from 0 to 13 has their pilot assigned. The chaos would be ludicrous.

[reverentwormpriest]

a category 3 yuricane has hit the area

[catboyidia]

Do you have any other headcanons of AGS being protective over each other?

- if anyone even so much as looks in genesis or angeal’s direction wrong, sephiroth will give the person the worst death glare while white knuckle gripping masamune

- angeal has actively fought people that have been mean to genesis, dreams and honor be damned

- if genesis overhears anyone saying anything bad about angeal or sephiroth, or insulting them, he will not hesitate to waltz right up to the person and start insulting that person and picking them apart, making sure to hit every single possible insecurity the person may have

- none of them are above starting arguments with anyone that may hurt one of them

- if things start getting a little too heated, one of them will wrap their arm around the other(s) and gently start steering them away while trying to calm them down

- genesis is likely the one on social media the most so if he sees someone post a rude comment about angeal or sephiroth he is quick to hop on a burner account and defend angeal and sephiroth to the ends of the earth, and he is not above stooping to… unsavory, and borderline illegal means if necessary

[cantheykillmacbeth]

Rei Ayanami

Yes, Rei Ayanami from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise could kill Macbeth!

Being a clone of Yui Ikari, she applies for the Gender Clause and (presumably) Unconventional Birth Clause! I don't think any information is given on the identity of her exact creator, though, so I'll leave the Birth Parent Clause alone for now.

Thank you for your submission!

[dynamitekansai]

The last shining ember of Queen's Quest burns out as darkness befalls the once Golden Phoenix and dying along side it, their eternal rival Oedo Tai. In name, at least. Now to be known simply as HATE. Following behind Konami, Saya Kamitani has officially joined the rebranded faction led by the new World of Stardom Champion, Natsuko Tora. HATE IS HERE.

[dark-elf-writes]

Anyway Omega Cloud who still hasn’t presented by the time he’s eighteen (Angeal assured him that it was normal for those front he more rural areas where food was scarce and life was hard. He hadn’t presented until his first mako treatment.) but since SOLDIER is just alphas and Cloud is hardly the stereotype of an omega none of the firsts or Zack see the signs that their little trooper friend is getting close to presenting or what he is presenting as even as things of theirs (blankets, clothes, Genesis’s robe that costs more than most of Nibelheim) things that are guaranteed to be covered in their scents start going missing. Cloud on the other hand is in full denial even as he takes things covered in his friend’s (his mated friends) scents. They’re just a comfort after all. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s the stress. It’s that he’s tired. It’s a million things but the truth looking him in the face.

Just AGSZC all being oblivious idiots and incredibly soft for each other at the same time.

[nobodymitskigabriel]

If there's one writing cliche in The Locked Tomb that peeves me, it's when characters casually bite their lips or cheeks so hard that they bleed.

[rocketbirdie]

man. now that i think about it. crisis core sure did do that to zack's potential as a character huh

[kc5rings]

It's extremely funny that in both scenarios it's neither angel that has the guilt going on

This is in reference to my tags on this post

And yeah, in addition to being funny it’s also a pretty interesting read on how Laterano faith is engaged with by Liberi vs Sankta

For Liberi it’s much like we know faith to be in our world, differing levels of worship from the Sunday only types to extremes of dedication or zealotry etc

But for Sankta, it’s a little different because well, they are the Angels of the Laterano faith. It’s like seeing the same figures from the stained glass in your church at 7/11, complete with flaming sword (gun) on their hip

The way Sankta engage with their own faith is fascinating to me, because it’s such a matter of course as to be almost instinct

If you saw Gabriel kneeling in prayer, would you think him a Christian, Catholic or what have you?

Is he practicing his faith? Just doing his job?

Or, is he simply doing what comes naturally to him and praying like it’s breathing?

[coffincoitus]

like this is "why is X character driving the bus" to me

[wasabi-gumdrop]

unironically obsessed with the best of what american slice of life has to offer: king of the hill

[holly-fixation]

Zero Lives Remaining

Summary: Sometimes the Lifestream makes mistakes. Sometimes a wish goes horribly wrong. Sometimes it’s too late. The mind is too far gone, and only one thought remains: Protect Him. 

Zack should have died protecting Cloud. 

Inspired by this art by @linkita-chan-20053

Please enjoy.

Warning: Spoilers for the ending of Crisis Core. It’s painful. Skip to the set of * * * for the beginning of the art.

…

The army. Or the Turks. Both were bound to intercept them: the rogue experiments, the boys that killed Sephiroth, the former First Class and cadet announced Killed In Action during the Nibelheim incident.

Fugitives. That’s all they were now, and Shinra spared no expense trying to take them down. 

Zack Fair protected his comrade against every attack thrown at them, every missile, every bullet, every blade, every scrap of magic. He kept them away from Cloud with every fiber of his being. Wounds were nothing, blood loss little more than an inconvenience. He defeated dozens of them at a time before. Maybe a hundred. Maybe a thousand.

Not with helicopters. Not the entire army. 

There were only a few left, but only a few were required. 

He barely felt the bullets enter his chest. He barely felt the final yell leave his throat.

But he did feel his body crash into the ground. He did feel that final shot to the head, confirming his defeat. Sealing his death. It was over. He threw everything he had into this battle, this never ending string of enemies. It hurt. It hurt so much. But… he only cared about one thing: was Cloud okay?

Did they go after him too?

Did they find him, or assumed they split up?

He couldn’t move, his eyes trapped on the raining sky above them. 

Where’s Cloud?

Where’s Cloud?

Cloud…?

Cloud!

CLOUD!

His silent calls drowned under his shallow breath, lost to the holes in his ribs and lungs. He begged to anything that could hear him, any being, any god, any monster, he didn’t care. He begged for just a bit more time, just enough to see Cloud. Just enough to protect him. 

A white feather brushed through the sky, and his sight was quickly captured by the mako green streaks of the Lifestream. He felt a little lighter. But just a little.

A little more important than the sword in his hand.

A little safe, but he couldn’t let his guard down. 

More men in Shinra uniforms stood ahead of him. No helmets this time, but that didn’t matter. They would kill Cloud. They always planned their next attack while he was stuck trying to approach. He needed to get them first.

First.

He must protect Cloud.

* * * 

“Come on, Angeal!” the Second Class called as he ran ahead in the Midgar planes, almost jittering with his puppy-like energy. 

“There's no need to rush, Zack,” his mentor called back. “We're right behind you.” However, if Angeal was honest with himself, he would probably feel the exact same way if so many of superiors were watching him as well, analyzing every mistake and each technique to improve. 

It had been a while since anyone made it under a First Class’ wing. Both the other Firsts did not want an apprentice, but they were still curious what the child was truly capable of. The planes always made homes for monster populations to rise every few years. Not the strongest creatures, but even the easiest battles could show skills with a trained eye. And none of the SOLDIERS had the training room scheduled for today, so they had to make due.

They spent a few hours out in the wilderness before the group decided to end the session. Well, the three Firsts decided they’d seen enough. The single Second tried but failed to convince them to stay longer. Especially since their ride wasn’t scheduled to arrive for at least a few hours.

The redhead with them sighed at the boy’s energy. “It’s not like we’re in any rush.”

The silver haired one hummed in agreement. “Indeed. The meeting spot isn’t going anywhere.”

The Crimson Soldier chuckled while the Silver Soldier only smirked softly. 

Zack was practically vibrating when they all finally arrived at the point. His eyes were wide and a bit unsure, but gods he was excited. 

Angeal gave a soft exhale before looking at him. “You can ask.”

“Sir Sephiroth, Sir Genesis, How did I do?!” Zack nearly shouted, craving the answer from the war hero first. That sounded so weird coming out of his mouth. This was their first mission together. He was far too curious, but Angeal threatened to hit him if he did not address the Firsts properly before the mission even began.

“Cut it with the 'sir',” Sephiroth spoke first, and Zack immediately closed his mouth and sealed it with a hand over his lips, fighting the urge to glare at his mentor.

“You'll want to wait for my official report, fair warning,” Genesis countered. 

“But we have so much time!”

“And we don't need to talk for every moment of said time.”

Zack was a bit frustrated at being brushed off, but the unreadable look from Sephiroth made him silent. Even if Sephiroth did not mean to intimidate him, he failed miserably. 

They suddenly all perked up, a question in their minds as they all instinctively turned toward the noise. 

Drip. Drip.

Drip.

Their hearts dropped immediately. 

It came from a man, blood dripping from his chest and arms. Dozens of bullet wounds polluted his body, his clothes stained, his armor cracking, his black hair mixed with liquid, and each black spike was coated with a dry sheet of crimson. He breathed in audible pants, pulling himself forward with the massive sword in his hands. His face was unrecognizable, practically shielded in his own blood, only allowing a cross-shaped scar and his deadly mako-green pupils to shine through. 

“Well well. It seems we have an unexpected guest…” Genesis joked softly, but the caution in his eyes matched the level of the other SOLDIERs.

“Who are you?” Sephiroth demanded, forcing strength to his voice. No one who walked up to them with bullet wounds could be anything less than a real threat. 

“I have…” The stranger pushed forward with barely functioning limbs, his sword scraping against the ground as it was pulled to the ready. “To protect… Him…”

Angeal’s eyes widened. That voice. He knew that exhaustion. He knew those pants. He knew he was the only one who would recognize them by their struggle, too many days and too many missions spent with it in his ears. His eyes quickly saw through the mask of blood and injuries. The unkempt black hair. The very slim ring of blue that breached the very edge of their eyes. The features formed the truth with terrifying similarity. 

“Hm? You know him, Angeal?” Zack asked from behind him, his more blue eyes staring at him with curiosity. 

The man attacked before the mentor could answer, but his barely healed strength did nothing for his speed. Each one of them dodged with a simple step out of the path. Even the Second Class had no trouble at all. “I have to… I must…” Each slash ripped through the air, never connecting with a single target. 

“Angeal, isn’t that your sword…?” Sephiroth asked lowly. Something in him told him not to attack, that this man wasn’t truly a threat, that there was more than met the eye from that blade. He didn’t know why. Attacking an enemy this weak and broken seemed…wrong. Perhaps he was spending too much time with Angeal.

Instead of answering, Angeal brandished the Buster Sword for the first time in Zack’s memory. Right before this doppelganger attacked Zack, he deflected the attack, hoping that somehow this man would snap back to reality if he recognized the blade. 

It didn’t.

The man’s energy and power surged at the single defense, the single challenge. “I… will… protect him!” 

Clang after clang of the twin blades clashing echoed beyond the plains. Each one louder. Each one stronger than the last. And stronger. And stronger. 

Genesis stepped in, only when he saw Angeal unable to give up the defensive. It seemed like enough initially. But the determination in the man soared with every step forward, every slash, and every second the Firsts remained on his feet. 

Sephiroth himself stepped in the moment Genesis took a slash to the shoulder. This man made himself a threat. Not enough to kill, but enough to be taken down. The Silver Soldier refused to assume any more weakness from the man. He used his surgical precision and razor thin cunning to knock the man to the ground. 

Landing on his back, every ounce of wind was knocked out of his lungs. The man didn’t have the strength to restore his breath completely, struggling and gasping for full air and a true grip on his hilt. 

“Cloud…” His raspy voice called to the air, hoping, praying, that it was enough. His mako-green, barely blue eyes dimmed under the light of the sun. 

The Firsts crowded around the body, each on their knees to analyze the man’s condition. 

“Zack, use a Cure, right now,” Angeal demanded at a glance before returning his eyes to the viscous wounds. 

“Wh-what- why?” 

“Just do it!”

The boy couldn’t ignore that tone, that command, and he found himself shuffling through their stash of materia to find the healing orb they needed. Once in his hand, he casted the most powerful healing spell he knew. 

And it worked. 

The wounds on his wrists began to heal, but that seemed to be all it could do. With each new cast, only a few more holes closed, sealing the leaking blood from the incredibly pale body. It took every ounce of energy between the apprentice and mentor until the last wound, the bullet in his head, finally filled with healing skin. 

But the light never returned to his eyes. The man only let out the smallest of pained grunts between slow, shallow breaths.

Sephiroth called into HeadQuarters and explained the situation. A helicopter picked them up fifteen minutes later. The body was immediately taken to the science department, and the head director explained that the man was under the effects of extreme mako poisoning, and that the man probably did not know who or what he was fighting on the plains. Though truthful, the director did not disclose the whole truth. 

The DNA of the apprentice and the man were identical in all but age. The director kept the body in a tank for preservation, under the guise of treating mako poisoning. However, he truly desired to unlock the secrets inside the man’s very existence. 

Zack Fair. First Class SOLDIER by uniform and weapon. His will to protect gave him one last chance, but at a time that did not need him. Now he was nothing more than a body in a tank. Now he was even less than the contained creature that caused every shred of heartache to his friends. To his comrades. To everything he wanted to protect.

To Cloud.

.

.

.

.

Thanks for reading!

Author’s Note: It’s finally HERE. And it only took… six months since I got the artist’s permission. Sorry for the wait, L-chan! This is my 100 followers special (on tumblr)! I asked people what they wanted to see next, and this and ‘angst’ won out. Special shout out to @winter-doggo . This would still be in my WIP folder if he didn't comment. Hope you all enjoyed it! 

Please stay tuned! I have a big special coming up next week!

[uwudonoodle]

McDonald's Treasureland Adventure in a minute

Does anybody else remember this game? My nephew got it from the thrift store when we were little. It was super weird, but actually pretty fun. My favorite bit was that his "weapon" was throwing magic sparkles from his pockets.